Clasp for sanitary belts



E. M. GRUEN CLASP ,FOR SANITARY BELTS June 24 INVENTQR M Gruen AORNEYS Filed Dec. 4, 1923 Patented ,inne 2.4i, i924@ EDGAR IVI. GIR-TIEN, OF NEVI YORK, N. Y.

To @ZZ 'LU/10m t may concern.'

Be it known that I. EDGAR M. GRUEN7 a citizen of the United States. and resident of the borough of the Bronx, in the county of the Bronx. city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful lm provements in Clasps for Sanitary Belts. of which the following is a specification.

The main object of this invention is to provide an effective clasp of simple construction readily operable to clasp the reduced end of a sanitary pad or napkin.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clasp that may be quickly operated to release the pad by an outward andV upward pull on the end of the pad.

A clasp constructed in accordance with this invention while especially adapted for the use herein indicated` may be used for many purposes, for instance, as a garment supporter and for other like uses.

The invention is designed particularly for use with the well known Kotex pads. but of course, it is capable of use with any form of pad or napkin having soft or reduced ends adapted to be grasped firmly between the clasp members.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a front view of the device showing one end of a pad secured thereto;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the clasp open and detached from the holding belt:

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing clasp in closed or gripping position.;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig, 3 showing the reverse side of the clasp;

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the clasp in open or released position, and taken approximately on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 5, showing the clasp in a partly closed position;

Fig. 7 is a front view showing the clasp in a position corresponding to Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. l;

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8;

l0 is vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 8 showing the manner of releasing .Application led December 4, 1923.

Serial N'o. 578,478.

the clasp by an outward and upward pull ondthe end of the clasped fabric element; an Fig, l1 is a view similar to Fig. 10 show ing the position of the parts in amore advanced stage of the releasing operation.

Referring to the various parts by numerals. l designates the lower portion of a belt of any desired form. Tothis belt is secured a depending fabric tape 2 to the lower end of which the clasp is connected. The clasp consists'of a body part 3 and a tubular clamping slide 4 mounted on the body part and arranged to move longitudinally up and down thereon.

rlhe body part of the clasp is formed of a comparatively narrow plate of sheet metal having a slot near its upper end to receive the tape 2. A suitable distance from its lower or free end the plate 3 is formed with a mouth 7 which is in the form of a transverse slot extending inwardly and transversely of the plate 3 from the left hand edge, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. This slot separates the clasp head 8 from the body of the plate. said head being connected to the plate 3 by a neck 9 at the right hand edgeof the plate, the inner edge of said neck forming the inner wall of the mouth 7. A.- portion of the plate 3, along the upper margin of the mouth 7 is bent forwardly to form a stop l0, said stop extending trans- \fe sely of the plate 3. This stop is cut away and rounded at its outer or left hand corner ll to provide clearance for the insertion of the fabric into the mouth 7. The side edges of the head are formed with forwardly eX- tending longitudinal flanges 1'2 and 13.V The flange 13 extends along the outer or right hand edge of the neck 9 and above said neck to strengthen it. These flanges form a channel in which the material to be clamped may be conveniently arranged and also serve as guides for the clamping slide. The upper edge of the head 8, which'forms the lower margin of the mouth 7 is serrated or toothed, as shown, to securely hold the fabric clamped over the head and the flange 12 is extended above the level of said teeth to prevent accidental sidewise removal of thel fabric from the teeth. The head 8 is d-ished fie or bulged forwardly between the flanges 1'.y and 13 to forni the hollow or concat; back 14 and the convex forward side parts being curved both longitudinal well as transversely of the head. The Yconvex forward side of the head is formed i 'l transversely extending serrations in th form of sharp teeth 16 into which the ffabri is .forced by the clamping slide. lt will be noted that the teeth 16 do not project beyond the outer longitudinal edges ol the flanges 12 and 13. The body portion 3 el the clasp is formed with a vieldable poi tion 17 which extends centrally and longitudinally from a point adjacent the stop flange 10 to a point adjacent the slot 3. This yieldable portion is in eliiect a leal' spring and is formed by spaced verticalt4V extending slits in the plate connected al their upper' ends by a horizontal slit. Formed upon the spring 17 a suitable dit tance above its lower end is a :forwardly projecting transverse locking ridge or hump 18. This ridge is formed by pressing` the metal of the plate 3 forwardly. trans verse ridge or hump 19 is formed in thel plate at one side of the spring 17 and a slight distance above the ridge 13. The ridge 19 projects rearwardly from the reverse face of the plate 3 and is formed bfi pressing the metal of the plate rearwardly. The upper end of the spring 17 is Ytree and is bowed 'forwardly to form a hump Q0.

The clamping slide 4 is open ended and tubular and slides readily longitudinally ot the plate 3 and over the flanges 12 and 13. lt is of sul'licient length to substantially enclose the head 3 and the month 7. The upper edge of the YForward wall oiq the slide provided with an upwardly extending.; locking tongue 21 whose tree end is inv dly to engage and ride on the ward lace of the plate 3 above the mouth l, The clamping slide is also Aformed upon its reverse side with a pair of upwardlv tending guide lingers 22. These lingers are spaced apart to provide clearance for spring 17 and their upper ends exte d above the level of the inturned locking' tongue 21 and are turned in slightly to engage and ride on the rear 'face of the pl. at opposite sides olfv the spring 17.

The operation el the device is as tollowsf The ciampi slide is first moved up to the position shown in Figs. 2 and ln moving the slide to this position the s .A

1T is pressed rearwardly by reason a. engagement oie the ling rs and tong e with the opposite faces oi the plate 3i The tongue 21 then rides over the hump E20 ot the spring after which the hump springs forwardlyY beneath the toiiejue and the clasp is held thereby in its upper position. The soft reduced end of the pad or napkin is passed into, the mouth 7 inwardly ot the up-4 nauseas per end of the flange 12 and then folded wardly down over the convex side o head 3 between the flanges 152 and i3.

portion ot the slide Aforced down over the lfolded tabric and over the Hannes l and tac/t pari; i. linger rear of th said ric ge,

The Keten pad or other talniic is relea t from the clasp by moving the clampin up on the plate rllhis may be doni ily by pulling outwardljyy and upwardly ou the ends of the fabric as illustrated in 'g'. (i. The pull of the fabric results in au upward thrust on the slide 1. The upward ino 'eme-nt of the slide causes the hn er '2,3 to first engage and ride over the rea.. ridge 19, and the linger 22, tongue 2,1 and tl'ie humps 18 and 19 are so spaced that when the linger .is upon the high point of the ridge 19 the tongue 21 will bc pulled thereby into contact with the base oli the ridgr` 13. Upon further upward movement ot the slide the tongue rides over the ridge 13 and tie hump 2O against the resistance oil the spring. The mouth 7 is then uncovered and the fabric may be removed from the clasp ln case the user should fail to push 'the slide e down to the lower limit of its movement but merely pushes it down until thc tongue 21 passes over the hump 20,

l.q therebj.Vv Yforcing the Yfabric into close con with the teeth 16 and into the i allor' 1f the clasp is moied down the rides over the ridge 19 upon the plate and falls into place the fabric will in ordinary service still be held securely. rlhe parts of the clasp are so proportioned that when the tongue 21 is below the hump Q() the tubular part of the slide extends below and encloses the mouth 7 shown in Figs= 6 and 7. A tension upon the main or inner strand of the fabric will then cause the fabric to bind upon the teeth of the mouth 7 and upon the lower edges of the slide l and be held thereby.

llllhat l claim is:

1. A clasp comprising a body part Jiorined with a head at its lower end a laterally tending open mouth being 'formed between the head and the main body oi the clasp a `transverse stop ilange formed on the body part along the upper transverse margin ot the said mouth, a lea spring carried by the said body part, a locking hump carried by the spring and spaced above the said stop flange, and a clamping slide mounted to move longitudinally on the body part and formed with a locking tonguel adapted to rice over the locking hump and to rest in the space between the locking hump and the stop flange when the slide is in its clamping position.

2. A clasp comprising a body part Jformed with a. head at its lower enda a laterally e2:-

fifi

Ahump and the stop when the slide is in its clamping position, the said slide being designed in its initial opening movement to engage the said rigid hump in advance of the engagement of the locking tongue with the yieldable locking hump whereby the said tongue is moved inwardly and caused to engage the base of said looking hump.

A clasp comprising a body part formed with a head at itslower end, a laterally extending open mouth being formed between the head and the main body of the clasp, a transverse stop flange forme-d on the body part along the upper transverse margin of the said mouth, a clamping slide mounted to move longitudinally on the body part, a locking tongue on the slide adapted to engage the stop flange, and means for yieldably holding the clamping slide in a full clamping position and in an intermediate clamping position the said slide being designed to enclose the said mouth of the clasp in either of the said clamping positions.

4. A clasp comprising a body part formed with a head at its lower end, a laterally eX- tending open mouth being formed between the head and the main body of the clasp, a transverse stop flange formed on the body part along the upper transverse margin of the said mouth, the said main body part heing formed with a pair of spaced longitudinally extending slits and the portion beV tween said slits being yieldable and resilient, a lower locking hump formed on the said yieldable portion and spaced from the transverse stop flange, an upper locking hump formed on the lyieldable portion and spaced above the lower hump and a clamping slide mounted to move longitudinally on the body part and formed with a locking tongue adapted to ride over the said yieldable locking humps and adapted when the slide is in clamping position tov rest between the lower hump and the transverse stop flange and when the slide is in unclamping position to rest upon the upper side of the upper hump and be held thereby.

5. A clasp comprising a body part formed with a head at its lower end, said head being hulged forward to form a convex gripping surface, a laterally extending open mouth with teeth at its lower margin being' formed ilanges thereon, and means tor yieldably holding the slide in a lower full clamping position and in an intermediate clamping position, the said slide being adapted to enclose the head and the mouth of the clamp in full clamping position and enclose the mouth in said intermediate position,

6. A clasp comprising a body part formed with a head at its lower end, a laterally extending open mouth being formed between the head and the main body of the clasp, a transverse stop flange formed on the body part along the upper transverse margin of the said mouth, the said main body part being formed with a pair of spaced longitudinally extending slits and the portion between said slits being yieldable and resilient, a lower locking-hump formed on said yieldable portion and spaced from the transverse stop flange, an upper locking hump formed on the yieldable portionV and spaced above the lower hump, a rigid hump formed upon the oppositeside of' the main body from the said yieldable' humps, and a tubular clamping slide mounted to move longitudinally on the body part and formed with a locking tongue adapted to ride over the said yieldable humps and adapted in the lower clamping position of the slide to rest between the lower hump and the transverse stop flange, and adapted to rest and be held supported upon the upper side of the upper locking hump in the upper unclamping position of the slide, the said slide being designed in its initial unclamping movement to engage the said rigid hump in advance of the engagement of the locking tongue with the lower yieldable hump whereby the tongue is moved inwardly to engage the base of said yieldable hump.

7. A clasp comprising a body part formed with a head at its lower end, a laterally extending open mouth being formed between the head and the main body of the clasp, a clamping slide movable longitudinally upon the main body and adapted to enclose the head and mouth in its lower clamping posi tion, and a flat locking spring integral with the main body extending longitudinally thereof and formed to engage the slide and yieldably hold it in its clamping and unclamping positions.

8. A clasp comprising a body part Jformed with a head at its lower end, a laterally extending open mouth being formed between the head `and the main body of the clasp, a

' foi'med Willi e, looking tongue and e pair oi yielda-ble locking devioee carried by the body partand over which the said looking tongue 1S a-depued to fide one of said devices being l Medea-e adept-ed to yieldabljy bold the to'ngue' in tbe Closed position of the Clamping slide and the lo other device to yieldably hold 'tbe tongue in the open position of the Slide.

In teetimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

EDGAR 

